This invention relates to a method and means for testing the flammability of a material and more particularly to a method and means for detecting the presence of a flame and testing flame height and flame duration.
The flammability characteristics of materials have become important considerations in view of the trends in consumer safety laws and products liability. Generally, flammability tests are intended to determine if a material is either capable of starting a flame or capable of supporting combustion from an external flame source. To determine if a material is capable of starting a flame, a selective amount of electrical power is applied to the material. To determine if a material is capable of supporting combustion, an external flame source such as a bunsen burner is applied to the material for a select interval and then removed. Common testing specification standards include: flame presence per se, flame height and flame duration.
Prior testing devices did not provide an economic and efficient objective means to test the flammability characteristics of materials. Many of the prior flame testing techniques were limited and inaccurate because of the presence of subjective determinations such as flame height and flame duration. Because of the transient nature of flames, subjective determinations are undesirable and an objective testing technique is required. While photography or televising are objective methods for measuring flame height and duration, these methods require development of the film and are expensive.